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When you think of a mousse or foam, do you still envision crunchy, wet-looking strands? If you answered yes, good news: With the best mousses for curly hair, there’s no reason to avoid this hero styler. These days, these foamy hair products for curls are no longer crunchy but rather touchable and lightweight, and there to deliver defined, frizz-free strands. And it does all of this without leaving any residue behind. According to Malwina Augustyn, hairstylist and curl expert at Ouidad Salon, mousse is an excellent product for curly hair, as it helps enhance curl definition and provides lightweight volume without weighing hair down—so while they work for many hair types, they’re downright essential if you have waves, curls, or coils.
So how do you know what kind of mousse to use? First, consider your hair-care goals—are you seeking volume, shine, definition, or frizz control. All these factors will determine what hold to choose (more on that later). Ahead, our list of the best curly hair mousses, curated by hair stylists and Allure editors.
Our Top Picks
- Best Overall: Briogeo Yuzu + Plum Oil Full Miracle Styling Foam, $26
- Best for Type 2 Curls: Davines Oi Souffle, $47
- Best for Type 3 Curls: Rizos Curls Thickening Treatment Foam, $25
- Best for Type 4 Curls: Pattern Beauty Curl Mousse, $23
- Best for All Curl Types: Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse, $42
- Best Volumizing: Crown Affair Texturizing Air Dry Mousse, $38
- Best for Protective Styles: The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam, $16
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are mousses helpful for curly hair?
- Should you apply mousse to damp or dry hair?
- When do you use mousse in a curly-hair routine?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: Briogeo Yuzu + Plum Oil Full Miracle Styling Foam
Why we love it: Infused with yuzu extract for added antioxidants, plum oil for lightweight moisture, and super B-complex for healthy-looking hair, the Briogeo Yuzu + Plum Oil Full Miracle Styling Foam is a go-to, one-and-done curl styling foam. The nourishing mousse will help to reduce frizz, never feel crunchy, and leave hair super soft when you’re hair styling. And if you’re a diffuser girlie or feeling a blow-out, this one is packed with heat protecting ingredients to keep your hair damage-free for up to 450 degrees of heat styling.
Tester feedback: "I have thick, heavy hair that takes a lot of product and finagling to create volume, especially at the roots and middle of the shaft—but not with this aptly-named ‘miracle’ foam," explains Allure shopping director Shanna Shipin, who has Type 3 hair. “This airy foam gives buildable volume and hold to my curls—without crunch—all day. Plus, it defines my curl pattern, nourishes my strands, and preps me for the inevitable blowout a few days later. It's easily the best multipurpose product in my hair routine.”
Key ingredients: yuzu extract, plum oil, and super B-complex | Who it's for: Type 2 waves and curls, Type 3 curls | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Type 2 Curls: Davines Oi Souffle
Why we love it: The liquid-to-foam Davines Oi Souffle adds body to curls without weighing it down, making it a go-to if you have Type 2 waves and curls (which typically need moisture but no heaviness). It uses roucou oil and chicory root extract to deliver lift, volume, and shine to hair without inadvertantly flattening it or leaving a telltale crunch, although our tester found that the curl definition didn't hold up throughout the day. But it has other perks: As a heat protectant, it will act as a barrier against up to 446 degrees of heat styling.
Tester feedback: “I'm typically a leave-in and air-dry girl, but I reach for mousse to get more volume and lift at my roots, especially around the crown of my hair,” says contributing editor Deanna Pai, who has Type 2B waves that are fine in texture. “This made my hair impossibly soft and supple, although I would have loved a bit more definition—but maybe the tradeoff is in the hold. And my hair had a ton of body, which is a big ask for it.”
Key ingredients: almond oil, jojoba oil | Who it's for: Type 2 waves | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Type 3 Curls: Rizos Curls Thickening Treatment Foam
Why we love it: For those whose hair needs a little TLC, the Rizos Curls Thickening Treatment Foam helps to strengthen fragile strands, boost volume, improve shine, and reduce breakage. The hero ingredient is the L-arginine, which is an amino acid found in keratin, a.k.a. the primary protein in hair; it helps to minimize hair loss by protecting hair from damage, reducing hair breakage, and supporting the hair's moisture barrier. Oat straw extract steps in to repair the overall elasticity of hair, too. Also worth noting: It smells like mint chocolate chip, which our tester loved.
Tester feedback: “I usually use a mousse purely for styling, but I love that this formula adds hair health benefits in addition to defining my curls,” says commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann, who has Type 3 curls. “It adds so much softness and shine that I really feel like it’s giving my ends the love they so desperately need. I’d recommend applying then diffusing the crown for a bit for extra volume if your hair is fine like mine."
Key ingredients: oat straw extract, L-arginine, saw palmetto | Who it's for: dry or damaged curls | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Type 4 Curls: Pattern Curl Mousse
Why we love it: The Pattern Curl Mousse delivers weightless volume to your curls, has a subtle scent, and, as our tester found, can actually extend your time between washes by a day or two. This curl-enhancing mousse features moisture-boosting marshmallow root and castor oil, making styling coily hair a smooth experience. (In other words, you won't feel the product hardening, drying out, or flaking as you work it through your hair.) Simply rub the mousse in your palms and finger-comb it through your hair.
Tester feedback: My 4C coils typically last for two days post wash day. On day three, I tend to refresh them with a curl cream or completely re-wet my hair and let the product find its way back into my roots. However, since using Pattern Curl Mousse, my wash day set is able to last three to four days without an added refresh.
Key ingredients: castor oil | Who it's for: Type 3 curls, Type 4 curls | Fragrance-free: no
Best for All Curl Types: Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse
Why we love it: Packed with protein, vitamins, and sunflower extract, the lightweight Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse delivers just the right amount of bounce, definition, and hold for most curl types, from Type 2 waves to Type 4 coils (as our tester found firsthand). "It adds moisture and is excellent at keeping curls and waves in place," says Cheryl T. Bergamy, a hairstylist and texture expert in New York, NY. For those who heat-style often, not only does the sweet almond oil leave your curls smelling amazing, but it also creates a protective barrier against heat to protect hair from heat damage.
Tester feedback: My curly hair thrives with two to three styling products, which usually looks like a leave-in conditioner, curl cream, and a mousse. I’ve been able to get away with just one product thanks to the Oribe mousse. Although I have 4C curls, I really love the lightweight formula here. It leaves my hair smelling good and crunch-free no matter how much I put in it.
Key ingredients: almond oil, sunflower extra, jojoba oil | Who it's for: most curl types | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Protective Styles: The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam
Why we love it: For twist-outs and wash-n-gos desiring a non-flaky hold, opt for The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam. The all-in-one styling mousse helps to detangle, condition, and add shine to natural textures. Thanks to the aloe vera, it keeps curls super soft, while the silk protein works to enhance strands' elasticity to prevent damage and breakage. Pro-tip: Work in a wide-tooth comb for more even distribution, before scrunching to ensure all curls are defined and hydrated. The result: voluminous, salon-looking curls.
Key ingredients: glycerin, aloe vera, silk protein | Who it's for: Type 4 curls and coils | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Volumizing: Crown Affair Texturizing Air Dry Mousse
Why we love it: We love when an effortless look is actually effortless—and that’s the case with this 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner. Whatever your natural texture may be, the nonaerosol Crown Affair The Texturizing Air Dry Mousse makes summery hair easy with its extra-light foam formula, shaping and hydrating without a heat-styling tool in sight. Plus, the volumizing mousse also works for straight hair, as our testers have found.
Tester feedback: "I'd describe my natural hair texture as flat as a pancake, but taking a few pumps of this airy mousse through damp strands leaves me with body and texture I didn't know I had," says associate features director Dianna Mazzone Singh.
Key ingredients: Pink Bolivian salt, plant protein blend | Who it's for: Fine waves and curls | Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Curls: Ouidad VitalCurl+ Curl Defining Mousse
Why we love it: Whether using it on wash day or as a curl refresher, the Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Mousse will help hydrate, control frizz, and add body to your coils and spirals, without a stiff finish. “It works really well to help form shiny spirals and give it a good boost of volume and fullness—without the crunch or stiffness,” says Irinel de León, hairstylist in Los Angeles, CA. In particular, dehydrated curls will enjoy the extra moisture and curl definition here.
Key ingredients: almond oil, jojoba oil | Who it's for: those with dry or dehydrated curls | Fragrance-free: no
Best for Fine Curls: Aveda Invati Ultra Advanced Thickening Foam
Why we love it: The Aveda invati ultra advanced thickening foam will really bring the volume and lift to limp, fine curls. Formulated with organic amla and rice protein and proven to thicken hair by 11% (per the brand), the volumizing foam will create fuller, all-day voluminous curls. If you’re unsure on how much to add, our experts say most curl types only need a small amount of mousse—about a golf-ball size—to achieve definition and hold.
Key ingredients: amla protein, rice protein | Who it's for: fine or thinning curls | Fragrance-free: no
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are mousses helpful for curly hair?
Hair mousses provide a strong hold to maintain curl patterns and because it encases the hair, it retains the moisturizing ingredients to keep your curls healthy. “Mousse helps to reduce frizz and tame flyaways while defining your curls, giving them an airy and bouncy finish,” says Jamie Lynn DeSimone, hairstylist at Bb. Salon in New York, NY
Plus, if layering products are best for your hair, the hero styler also plays well with curl creams or leave-in conditioners. Pro-tip: selecting which mousse you use will be paramount for results. Different types of mousse will provide different levels of holds and definitions.
- For looser curls or wavy hair (2a-3a): Opt for a light mousse that will execute perfect beach waves or a strong hold to create tighter curls.
- If you have a tighter curl pattern (3b-3c): Grab a mousse with a stronger hold to help define and separate curls.
- For coils (4a-4c): Select a lightweight to medium-hold mousse with extra conditioner for added hydration.
Should you apply mousse to damp or dry hair?
To increase longevity of the style, mousse should be applied to clean and damp, not wet hair, distributed through hair from roots to ends with a tool or hand,” says Naomi Dove, hairstylist and artistic director at Aveda North America. Dove recommends starting with a hydrating leave-in conditioner or misting in a curl refresh to create less frizz and a stronger curl pattern.
Afterwards, style as usual using a hairbrush designed for curly hair. Then, scrunch mousse in, coating the hair from the roots to ends. If you do end up diffusing your hair, make sure to plop in a bit more mousse for a stronger hold and bouncy curls.
When do you use mousse in a curly-hair routine?
You can use mousse each time you wash your hair. The experts also suggest it as a refresh if your curls are looking (or feeling) a little lackluster. Just be sure to re-wet your hair with a spray bottle as mousse works best on damp hair.
Meet the experts
- Malwina Augustyn, hairstylist and curl expert at Ouidad Salon
- Cheryl T. Bergamy, hairstylist and texture expert in New York, NY
- Irinel de León, hairstylist in Los Angeles, CA
- Jamie Lynn DeSimone, hairstylist at Bb. Midtown in New York, NY
- Naomi Dove, hairstylist and artistic director at Aveda North America
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best mousses for curly hair, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from two dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we've solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it's never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Read more about keeping your style on point:
- 10 Best Hair Finishing Sprays to Keep Your Style on Point
- 12 Best Round Brushes for Every Hair Type
- 13 Best Curl Creams for Equal Parts Hydration and Definition
Now, here's how to bring your curls back to life:
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